The Hindu : Front Page : Our decision will depend on situation: Karat

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Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009
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Our decision will depend on situation: Karat

Special Correspondent

Alternative front not projecting anyone as
prime ministerial candidate
“We have called for the defeat of Congress, BJP”

CHENNAI: CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat on Monday said his party would take a decision on joining the government at the Centre depending on the situation.

Talking to reporters, Mr. Karat said: “We have no principle that we should not join a government. Neither is there a principle that we should join every government.”

He said: “Every time depending on the circumstances the party will take a decision whether to join the government or not. Let us [the alternative front] reach the position of being able to form the government. If such a situation arises after the poll, my party will seriously discuss the matter and take a decision in this regard.”

Mr. Karat said the alternative front was not projecting anyone as the prime ministerial candidate before the poll. “None of the parties have talked about that….. Everybody agrees that this is a matter to be discussed after the elections and decided.”

Federalism

He said he felt that projecting a prime ministerial candidate could be counterproductive. “Don’t forget that the CPI(M) and other regional parties are wedded to what we call federalism,” he said adding that none of the constituents in the front had the right to insist that their candidate should become the Prime Minister.

He said normally the leader of the House of the People [Lok Sabha] should be the Prime Minister in a parliamentary democratic system, even though there was no Constitutional bar on somebody from the Upper House becoming the Prime Minister.

“Normally the mandate even in the Lok Sabha is the key factor,” he added.

Asked whether he would give an assurance that he would not support the Congress in the wake of the BJP winning more seats in the elections, he said the question did not arise as the party had already called for the defeat of the BJP and the Congress.

“In the 2004 elections, we did not call for the defeat of the Congress. We called for the defeat of the BJP. Now we have called for the defeat of both the BJP and the Congress,” he said.

“Clear signal”

He said the arrest of BJP candidate Varun Gandhi was a clear signal that any attempt to create communal unrest and instigate communal violence would be firmly dealt with. “In U.P. particularly at the time of general elections, such a firm step or signal is required,” he added.

Denying reports that the CPI(M) had an understanding with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Abdul Nasser Maudany, he said the PDP campaigned for the LDF in the 2004 election.

“In 2001, the PDP supported the Congress and the party never called the PDP communal,” he said, adding that Mr. Maudany had announced support, but the LDF would not be bound by him.

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